The Bardenas Reales, badlands in the heart of Middle Navarre

Take a trip to the Bardenas Reales, a desert straight out of a film in the heart of Middle Navarre. Explore the natural park and find the best routes to take to do that.

When we say that Middle Navarre has much to offer, we are not wrong as there is even a desert. Get all the information you need for your visit to this Navarrese desert and discover the best routes to take.

Explore the Bardenas Reales Natural Park

Visit the Bardenas Reales, badlands in the heart of Middle Navarre Enjoy this unique landscape sculpted by water and wind declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the year 2000. You will not be disappointed by the vast plains of El Plano; marvel at the vibrant colours and wild beauty of the Bardenas Negras, which coexist with pine forests. You will also be amazed by the force of nature in the incredible formations of the Bardenas Blancas.

Yet this natural park’s best kept secret is its diversity of fauna and flora, making it twice as attractive if you are a lover of steppe birds.

Plan your visit

Before starting your tour of the Bardenas Reales, we recommend visiting the Information Centre. Get answers to your questions, pick up a free map, and plan your ideal route for a perfect day out in this special place. Don’t forget to the archaeological exhibition and information areas to round off your visit. Find out about the main places of interest and check out the authorised routes for exploring the park here.

Please remember:

Part of the badlands is a military zone and it is forbidden to enter or cross it.
This natural park does not have any services or facilities inside. With this in mind, we recommend that you plan your visit in advance, check the opening hours of bars and restaurants in nearby towns, and bring water and sunscreen with you.

Learn about the traditions linked to the Bardenas

For centuries, this enclave has been a meeting place steeped in tradition. This spirit lives on in the Transhumance Festival in Carcastillo at the end of the summer. Celebrate the age-old tradition of transhumance during a weekend packed with culture, workshops and livestock heritage. The festival revolves around the flocks and herds being brought down from the Pyrenean Salazar and Roncal valleys to the Bardenas Reales through El Paso, which was a regular drovers’ route in the past.

A desert straight out of the movies

Part of the sixth season of Game of Thrones was filmed here, along with scenes of The Counselor with Javier Bardem and Cameron Díaz, or sequences of 007, The World Is Not Enough, with Pierce Brosnan. It was also turned into a new planet for Mutant Action, directed by Alex de la Iglesia. This wasteland has its own legend, the Navarrese version of Robin Hood: the story of Sanchicorrota, the 15th-century bandit. He fled to the Bardenas from Cascante and raided the caravans that crossed the badlands. This photogenic landscape has also been the backdrop for videoclips and campaigns advertising perfume or food; so, our tip is to get out your mobile and pose for the perfect shot!

Birds in the Bardenas Reales

As you walk through the eroded features of this semi-desert landscape, you will feel as if you are on another planet. But if you are lucky, patient and have binoculars, you will see one of these badlands’ main residents: the birdlife.

Over a hundred species live here: steppe birds that are perfectly camouflaged in the land, birds of prey such as the Black Kite or the Sparrowhawk that hide in the pine trees, the Griffon Vulture or the Egyptian Vultures, along with important species including the Bittern and Red-necked Nightjar.

If you are into birdwatching, you can ask to use the Bardenas hide to take photos of the great variety of birds there.

Routes in the Bardenas Reales

Soak up every inch of this amazing semi-desert landscape and organise a bespoke trip. Trails, mountain bike routes, scenic drives, buggy excursions. Just choose how you prefer to visit the Bardenas Reales. Check out all of the available options here.
Check out all the available options here.

Explore the Bardenas Reales on foot

Take a hiking trip through this iconic location and visit all the park’s points of interest during a day out in the open air. Choose your route: feel like you are in a Western film as you walk through the Las Cortinas Ravine, take in the spectacular views from the only hill in the area that you can climb, the Cabezo Cortinillas, and explore the iconic Bardenas Negras in the Cabezo del Fraile.

Using vehicles in the natural park

Take a trip through the Bardenas Reales in your own car, following one of the routes authorised by the park. Or you could choose to drive a buggy, segway or motorbike for an unforgettable experience among the golden slopes.

Things to do near the Bardenas Reales

You can round off your visit to the Bardenas Reales by checking out the nearby towns and all of the historical and natural heritage they have to offer:

Explore the banks of the River Aragón in Caparroso, where you will find pure nature among the valleys and ravines.
Head to the town of Carcastillo and experience the natural wonder of the Dos Reinos Lagoon.
Make the most of your trip by stopping off to visit the spectacular Cistercian monastery of La Oliva, a place steeped in spirituality and tradition.
Delve into the wonderful world of Romanesque architecture in Mélida and Murillo el Cuende and marvel at the beauty of the churches in these two towns.

If sports are your thing, test your fitness with one of the ten routes available in the Bardenas Reales. Whether you are looking for short, easy routes for the whole family or extreme trails that criss-cross the natural park from north to south, find your ideal mountain biking activity and explore every inch of this iconic paradise in Middle Navarre.

Make sure you follow the natural park’s rules and choose a suitable path: make sure your walk through the badlands does not become a survival film.